Metronome
by Stg.Thibaultin
Summary: Tick Tock Tick Tock…Shh hear that? It's the sound of a metronome beating at a steady rhythm. So why everything around her seems like it's moving fast forward? OC
1. Prologue

**Hi! It's my first story here and English is not my first language.**

**By the way, I do not own Naruto. This work is simply for fun.**

* * *

**Prologue**

As soon as she opened her eyes, a smell like acids invaded her senses making her stomach soured with nausea. She felt horrible as she tried to focus on her situation. Her mind searched for flaws, swiftly analyzing her surroundings. But her vision was distorted. Memories and knowledge flooded fast through her head. Images crossed together with unmatched voices. Her mind overloaded with several deep-rooted information on numbers, history of civilization, music, philosophy, art... It was too much to take.

She forced herself to shut her eyes and concentrated on her agitated heartbeat. When her eyes opened again she could only see complete cold darkness. She tried to rely on her touch and hearing ignoring completely her sight. Her fingers traced down the smooth and soft surface underneath her body as she gripped forcefully the blanket with trembling hands. Overwhelmed with dizziness, she took a deep breath as she listened to the silence. But when she took a better caution, she heard calm breathing nearby. She realized that a person or maybe a few were in the same room as her, just a couple of feet away. Unconsciously tears of joy felt down her cheeks as she tried to call for help moving her agitated sweating arms in the air.

But somehow her vocal cord refused to work, only a whimper went out. Her hands immediately came to her throat putting pressure on it. Her panic body began to quiver involuntarily as she fought back her snobs.

Then she heard a few uneasy whines erupting from the room. Disoriented and confused, she froze letting her natural instinct take control. Cries were heard that were louder and louder with each passing second.

At that point she realized that everything was terribly wrong.

She was surrounded with babies, fragile, vulnerable, scared beings. And along with them, she let out the loudest deafening scream of desperation drown in tears of fear.

* * *

The days followed one another in a procession of nothingness.

She learned that her new name is Neru.

She also learned that she might be in Japan while she spied on the nurse's conversations.

She looked at the ceiling wishing that everything was only a dream. For many days she basked herself in the pleasant memories of her previous life. She missed the time when her mom would cook something to eat while her dad would sing a song dancing with his beloved. She remembered clearly her annoying cat who would nudge her with his nose and lick her cheeks with fondness.

"_It seems just like yesterday but not everything good lasts forever." _

From what she had observed she had been in the hospital for months. She didn't know how long but she discovered that she was the oldest of all the infants in the room. She obviously had some hairs on her head and she had more fat on her belly. Furthermore all the nurses seems to know her, saying her new name repentantly. The last clue was that she was the only baby who could actually see._ I think it takes at least more than three months for the eyes to develop _she thought calmly.

_Does that mean that I have been sleeping for that long? Well I don't have any memories of those time…_

For many hours, she tried to remember how she died or what was she doing at her last moment. But she couldn't recall anything.

_My mind has probably suppressed it. Was it too traumatizing?_

Too many questions, not enough answers.

* * *

Neru stopped to ponder when an average looking woman with kissed-sun skin and wavy brown hair that fell flawlessly at her shoulders came in front of her. Neru looked at her, up and down. The lady wore a simple white T-shirt and a slouchy corda trouser. In fact, this was not the first time that this person came to visit her, in the past few days and every single time she came, she put on the same clothing. "_That's weird. Or she don't have enough money to buy herself new clothes. She must be poor._"

From the way the woman acted, Neru concluded that she was her new "mother". The brunet always gave her kisses and hugs unlike the other female population. And the first time they met, she cried so loud and moved so much that Neru was afraid to be drop dead on the floor. It wasn't even funny.

So when her "mom" took her in her arms, Neru tried to wiggle out of her grasp. Even her sparkling comforting smile couldn't end the uncomfortable and nervous feeling of being hold by a total stranger. Tired, Neru decided to stay still to the lady's relief.

_Here goes nothing._

Gripping strongly her shirt, she tried to be steady when her "mother" skipped lightly out of the hospital.

And then everything makes less sense.

* * *

_I am speechless_ Neru affirmed.

_Not that I can actually speak with my useless baby tongue._

In fact, outside left her more scared than before. It was disturbing and petrifying. In the street, some were dressed like in the nineteen century with their traditional kimonos and their Chinese dresses. Others were wearing modems clothes like normal graphic shirts. It was a fashion disaster where the ancient and the new generations were by some means mixed.

_Where the hell am I?_ Neru panicked.

She saw a green hair kid running down the street. And a purple one, then a red one.

_They are playing and smiling with each other's like nothing is wrong!_

_Is that the Hokage monument? _Indeed, Neru frowned incredibly at the four familiar faces carved in stone. She slapped herself hard in the face before pitching her arms.

"Oh no! Sweetheart! You are going to hurt yourself!" Her fake mom worriedly shrieked. Nonetheless that was exactly what Neru was planning.

Then she saw something else at a new level of insanity. Her wide eyes holding so much disbelief followed some people _fucking humans_ running on the rooftop of houses.

_They are fucking kidding me. Where's the freaking camera? Please don't tell me this is true!_

At some point, she couldn't take it anymore. Her small hands began to shake terribly. She gripped the woman's shirt as if her life depended on it. Laughter bubbled up in her throat and soon, she clutched her stomach as she let out a fit of maniac giggles, filled with skepticism and dismay.

She laughed.

And she _laughed_.

As soon as they entered the Uchiha estate, she trashed and screamed with tears in the woman's strong vice-grip.

Like a madwoman begging in helplessness when the doors of the asylum shut in her face.

_Alone in a world that she don't belong, alone in a madhouse. _


	2. I

**English is not my first language. **

**I do not own Naruto. **

* * *

**I**

She looked in front of her and admired the peaceful scenery of the forest. She took a deep breath as she closed her eyes, listening to the chipping of birds and the buzzing of cicadas.

Akane was a happy woman. Actually, Akane was a blissful optimist wife with a set of family composed with a noble husband and an adorable baby girl.

_My life is complete _she thought wistfully as a small smile surfaced on her pretty heart face.

She decided to relax on the grass. She stretched her body putting her arms behind her head and settled down on the ground.

"Tch wach'a doing!"

An angry impatient voice broke her away from her reverie. She looked up and saw her little four years old infant glaring at her. She muffled down a chuckle when she saw the glare that appeared more like a pout on that young face.

"Have you forgott'? You promise me books!"

Neru impatiently took the sleeve of her sweater and harshly pulled Akane to the library. She let out a sigh and let her daughter drag her away.

* * *

Almost every week, Neru would complain that she didn't have enough books. So she wanted to go to the library.

Akane happily complied. It was always good for children to read.

However she was startled to see Neru holding enormous volumes like _Plants of Konoha_ and _Poison around the Hidden Country_. The vocabulary was very difficult for a young child to understand.

Thus Akane expected her little baby to be a genius. She hoped that Neru would bring her family honor and prestige. It was a mother dream to see her child succeed in life. Seeing that Neru had always being different especially at her birth, her anticipations grow up a notch.

So for a week, Akane had closely observed her daughter.

One day, they went to the library to borrow volumes on flowers and on animals. Akane was in the kitchen keeping an eye on her daughter. She expected Neru to read them but...

Well Neru end up drawing flowers and wildlife all day long.

On the next day, Akane saw Neru opened a big book on the history of Konoha. She excitedly saw her baby focusing on the image of Sasuke Sarutobi, the third hokage's father.

_Here it comes! Show Mommy what you are made of!_

But she had not expect her baby to point out something else. _"Mama looks it a monkey!" Neru enthusiastically yelled with a huge grin._ Indeed, Neru was more interested in the summoning animal in the background of the picture than the powerful ninja himself.

It was a little disappointing.

Akane also discovered that Neru would flipped over pages to find illustrations. Her sharp eyes would search for inhuman creature. Sometimes she built towers and castles with books and blocks.

Likewise, Neru didn't know how to read much.

_"Mama, do I look ss'sma't?" Neru asked with a book in her hands and fake round glasses resting on her nose. "How' you sa'y this." She showed Akane a word. _

_"Sophisticated" Akane said._

_"So-phi't-cat" Neru repeated and nodded mutely before walking away._

After a few minutes, she would be napping on a page tired from all the running and playing.

Akane sighed.

That was how in a flash, all her hopes to have a prodigy broke apart.

Without a doubt her expectations were at variance with reality. But really she couldn't be blamed.

Despite of that, she would always go with Neru to the library to choose new books and to give her new inspirations for her drawing.

* * *

She silently sat on a chair reading _Love in the air_, a romance novel who had a major successful hit after its publication.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw Neru looking at a colorful book before disappearing behind a shelf.

She turned over a page.

Neru was a normal child. It was a little disappointing but still, it was fine with Akane.

If her child was happy and healthy, everything was fine with Akane.

* * *

When she gave birth to Neru, her baby didn't move a single inch. It was not that she had died but she was somewhat sleeping. The doctors checked her infant's purse and her chakra. They also examined her physical condition. Everything was fine. Except that Neru strangely didn't wake up. Like she was laying in a coma.

The doctors couldn't explain what was happening and tried so many ways to stir her up. However, nothing worked. Finally they decided to put her in observation.

She didn't awake after one month. Then two. Then three. During those months, Akane was a mess. She was extremely worried and exhausted. She was distracted all day and went each morning to a temple to pray for her child's life. She couldn't eat well and came every day to the hospital. Her husband also appeared affected. He did more missions than usual.

At the fourth month, a miracle happened. Neru waked up.

But after, it also went downhill.

Two years later, her baby would not talk, smile, giggle or even cry. It was worrisome. Akane as a new inexperience housewife was again terribly afraid for her newborn.

She thought that something was medically wrong in her baby's head or body. After all Neru had been sleeping for four months when she was born.

But the doctors always declared that she was physically healthy.

Akane was not blind. She knew that it was not right for a two-year old to look so tired. So _empty_. _So Lifeless_.

It was disturbing in a way that she couldn't describe. She tried every approach to make her react. She made funny faces, bought different toys and asked the doctors help.

But at the end, Neru would silently stared back at her.

* * *

Akane sniffed.

She was too engrossed in her novel at a point that she didn't realize that it was already late in the afternoon. Even when she finished the entire story, she still didn't realize it.

She was still too absorbed in her thoughts.

Sketching her neck, she set the book down on the table and rose up from her comfortable place. "Neru let go home." Before realizing that she was talking to no one.

_Oh crap_

Panicked, she marched with quick steps in each alley of the library.

* * *

Like always, Neru was laying on her stomach on the floor, reading a fantasy picture book among several others scattered around her.

"Sweetheart it's time to go home. Did you choose your books?" Akane said warmly.

"Yes" Neru quietly answered.

"How many?"

"Only eight" Neru innocently stated with her hands showing eights fingers.

Akane signed and shook her head. At least it was less than last time.

"You could only take four. I don't want to bring too many and you never finish to read them all."

At her glare, she signed again. "Fine. Next time you can take back more home."

"'kay" Her daughter simply complied.

Akane looked over the four chosen books: _How to build a house 101_, _Monster under the bed_, _Fairy tale_ and _Chicken's ninjas_. Nothing unusual.

"You should put the rest of those books back at their place. I will be wanting for you at the front desk like yesterday. "

"I know. Am not a baby" Neru frowned at her.

Akane smiled and chucked. She patted slightly her daughter's head as the infant huffed and crossed her arms.

When she withdrew herself, Neru began to pick up her mess.

Unfortunately Akane's assumptions would have been answered. If only she didn't walk away without seeing the books hidden behind Neru's back. If only she looked back a second, she would have noticed _Chakra for beginners_ or _Nature transformation._ If only she didn't turn her back, she would have seen a pair of intense wise eyes filled with intelligence following her every moves.

* * *

"Slow down Sweetheart!" At the moment, her daughter was running after a blue butterfly. Akane tried to catch up with her but the handful of books in her arms slowed her down. As she turned a corner, her energetic daughter had vanished once again.

Actually, she had lost Neru a few times already. The truth was that she was not worried at all. They were now in the Uchiha's headquarter. So the police force was nearby. Her daughter was safe within.

She looked up at the sky as she slowly walked down the street. The air was warm. Her short wavy hair blows gently in the summer breeze. The beams of sunlight glow on her skin. The jingle from the swings were heard as happy children with smiles from ear to ear vaulted themselves into the air in the wide open park. The joy that radiated from them made her felt warm and fuzzy inside.

She saw some couple of mocking birds flying around. It made her remember her daughter first words. Neru first word was regrettably not Okāsan nor Otōsan. But it didn't mean that it was less significant.

They were outside like today. Two years ago.

* * *

Akane remembered that day very clearly. After all, it was not only the day that Neru had said her first words but it was also the first time that she saw her baby smile.

* * *

_When she was doing the laundry, Akane saw Neru looking at a small robin bird on the ground in their backward. However unlike her former reactions, her small hand reached out to the animal and lingered there. But before it came in contact, she pulled it back._

_It might be nothing but Akane saw an opportunity. A while later, she instantaneously tried to find a robin at some pet shops. Then again they didn't have any. So she decided to catch it herself._

* * *

_A few feet away, there was a little brown and orange bird near a branch's tree. Akane __tightly _gripped her net and launched forward. The animal simply skipped the attack and flew on a branch, looking unimpressed at the brunet. "Hey! Come back here! It's not over yet!" Akane exasperatedly shouted.

_Usually she would have paid a genin to do the job but somehow she felt that it would be more meaningful if she done it herself. After all, she knew that her daughter wouldn't care even if she bought her the most expensive doll or the cutest dog._

_"Well…Euh…Don't worry Neru. Mommy will catch one nice little biddy for you!" Akane said with enthusiasm and sweat dropped when her daughter silently stared back at her._

_"This is just the beginning! You will be __soon _at my mercy!"

_This is war. Akane __though. _

_And then the woman spent hours chasing after it, putting traps, hiding behind trees, trying to attract it with foods._

_It lasted for five days._

_Nothing worked. Until she accidentally hit the bird with her net. The robin immediately tumbled on the ground, twisting and squeaking._

_Akane froze at the sight but recovered shortly by putting the net over the creature. She examined it. _

_Thankfully the bird was still alive but it was wounded._

_It has a broken wing._

_Oh oh…_

* * *

_A week later, t__he robin had completely recovered. _

_"Mama has caught it for you." She happily sang with a overexcited sweet voice and __shoved the bird flying in a golden cage i____n front of Neru's face._

_"Do you think that it's pretty? Are you happy? Do you like it?" She questioned with eagerness._

_Neru glanced at the cage. She looked back at the window before she got up to lay down her bed and slept, completely ignoring her mother._

_Akane faltered at her coldness. She had expected a bigger reaction. In fact something more enthusiastic._

_But still she had seen it coming. She couldn't have what she wanted in a single day. Maybe she had to give Neru more time._

_"What I am going to do with you?" she whispered to nobody in particular._

* * *

_The bird was left forgotten in a corner of Neru's room._

_Little by little, it grew weaker and wearier. It stopped to eat. It even stopped to fly._

_It seemed…_

_Fragile. Vulnerable. So easy to break. A single touch could make its feathers felled down like a drop of water._

* * *

_When that day came, Akane saw Neru lifted up the entrance of the cage.__The robin stumbled out doubtfully. It took some few experimental steps forward. __Without hesitation, its wings stretched out wide open. It flapped once and before they knew it, it launched out at the sky._

_The little girl whispered "Sayōnara" still eyeing the little bird, flying out in the vast cloudless blue sky. __Eyes still fixed on the spot, even though she could no longer see the bird._

_Akane felt her lips forming a small smile as her daughter did the same.__That day, Akane saw hope. Neru saw it as well but it was for a different reason._

_Everything would be fine._

* * *

Once again she felt a tug on her sleeve. "Stop daydreaming. So slow."

Akane looked down and a huge smile broke out on her face.

"What?" The latter asked with curiosity.

"Um, well, I just remember something in the past."

Neru frowned at the answer and decided to pull Akane in front of _Aoki Caramel_, her favorite pastry shop.

"Can we bu'y cak'es?"

"Yes and you can choose everything that you like!"

Neru looked up at her with a deep frown. "Are you sick?"

"No why do you ask?"

Her daughter gazed longer on her before saying "Nothing"

* * *

"So did you caught the butterfly?"

"No, lost it."

"You know. Sweetheart, next time, you have to wait for me."

"But don't wan'na lose it. Won't wait for you."

"You will make me worried. So be a good girl and stay by my side. Don't run after things without me. "

"…"

"Do you understand?"

Akane looked over Neru, seeing her intensely mused over it.

Neru turned to face her and-

"Like alwa'y, why don't you…"

She took the cupcake's box in Akane's right hand. Her face split into a mischievous grin as she excitedly screamed "Catch me if you can!"

* * *

**Oh right, Neru is the main character of the story and she is on the picture. XD **


	3. II

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**II**

She turned a page. Frown, there's a Japanese word that she didn't understand. She scribed it on a loose piece of paper.

Learning a new language had been difficult for Neru. Even though she had grasp it sooner than children her own age (4 years old) she felt that she must understand more advanced vocabulary. The infant mind made the process easier and faster but it was never enough. Neru brought the bottle containing fireflies closer and adjusted her book.

2 629 746 minutes, 43 829 hours…that was exactly 5 years. Only five years before the massacre. There was not enough time, not enough power, not enough skills to survive.

As long as Neru remembered, she had practiced every single day. In the morning, she would sleep or pretend to draw flowers with bright flamboyant colors. In reality she would read the books on plants that she had borrow from the library. Knowing which ones were poisonous and which ones were edible in the forest, which ones could be used for treating and which ones could kill, will be important later. (Well drawing helped to memorize things too.)

Regrettably her "father" scrolls were almost useless. In his studies, he had only put unimportant files like how to do yoga and useless blanks scrolls. Thankfully, Neru had found a book about basic hand seals, which each one of the twelve seals was named after an animal of the Chinese zodiac. Nothing about how to fight or about jutsus. But Neru was not surprised. There was a Uchiha archive library which protected those scrolls and guarded by the police officers after all.

In any case the Uchiha are paranoid bastards. So their jutsus were protected 24/7. In fact a few times, when Neru succeeded on losing Akane, she would go spy, well somewhat explored at close as possible that place or the Uchiha area. She could tell that there were at least two chunins or jounins guarding the door by their green vests. So there was no way that Neru would waste her time trying to enter that room. It was too dangerous and too risky.

The only way to get stronger was to "beg" her hypothetical always absent "father" to teach her something.

At night, now and again she would read. Sometimes she would try to meditate and find her "chakra". Neru had never feel anything weird or different in her body than her previous life. There was no spiritual or physical energy or whatever. Her lack of progress in her physical form frustrated her a lot. It seemed that it was time to beg her "otosan" tomorrow.

_Wonderful_

Neru rubbed her eyes and suppressed a yawn with her hand. Feeling distress, she put her two hands on her head and massaged her skull. Well a good sleep won't hurt anyone mostly when said person couldn't concentrate any longer.

* * *

"Wha a pain"

"Sweetheart don't sulk! You are going to have new friends!"

"Don't wanna"

"Well mommy wants to have more friends"

"Tch"

Neru had never expect to meet the devil and his brother so soon. She had not expect to get invited to go to the party of the future clan murderer's sibling at all. She had intended to be sick but knowing that Akane was going there alone didn't turn well for her.

Neru saw the female uchiha avoided and overlooked Akane. Her "mother" was an outsider. In other words she was not welcome. That would make Neru an outcast too. Uchihas were supposed to marry within their clan and that allowed to keep their blood line for their kekkie Genkai strong.

Neru had never saw Akane as her mom. Nobody could replace her real mom. Furthermore, the brunet acted more like a child. And she was only one year younger than Neru. (She died at twenty-three years old plus four years in this world) Again the innocent and naïve flower bud didn't know a single thing about what will happen in five years. She smiled so bright and laughed so loud. When people rejected her, she came back happier and try to join them again and again and again.

Honestly, it was annoying. Akane was annoying. So freaking annoying.

And it made Neru's blood boil to see others looked down at her flower bud.

"Neru are you listening to me?"

"…"

"Daddy is on a mission. So he can't join us, but we are going to have fun without him! You also have to try to be nice. Do not glare and sulk all day!"

"…"

"And Mikoto-san have a son one year younger than you."

"…"

"Try to be friend with him."

"…"

Akane put down a red box with ribbon and bended down at Neru level with worries eyes. "You should try to makes friends, don't be antisocial like your father."

"Don't care"

"Don't be emo then"

"Oi I am not emo!"

Neru crossed her arms and glared fiercely at Akane who stepped back. She knew that she was full of angst and a little bit overly sensitive but still…she was not emo.

"That's it! I will show you that I am not emo!"

Akane laughed pumping her fist in the air. "Yes!"

_That's so childish._ The girl thought rolling her eyes.

The Uchiha estate was not big. In fact it was gigantic. It was so easy to get lost if you were not careful. Every street looked the same and the houses too. In fact, it had its own market. A few cake shops, pet shops, restaurants, temples…

They lived in a remote corner of the estate. So they had to walk a long way to get to the heart of the clan's lands.

Hands in hands, they strolled in a busy street full of laughing kids and of old people who were doing physical activities.

Neru clenched her smalls hand tighter when she saw a couple avoiding eyes contact and refusing to greet back her mother who simply smiled.

She shot them a harsh glare.

_Go to hell Trashes! _

At last they arrived at the demons residence. Neru felt her heart beating louder and louder as her breath caught in her throat. Meeting her possible-future-killer was not pleasant at all. At least Itachi wouldn't kill her now.

Dinning with the devil. It suited him well.

_Like a madwoman having an appointment with the doctor. She felt trapped knowing that he was able to analyze the functions of her distorted mind._

* * *

"Akane-san has told me a lot about you Neru-chan."

Mikoto was a beautiful fair-skinned woman with long black hair and bangs on each side of her face. She wore a nice purple blouse and a simple red-plum skirt. Behind her legs, Neru could see a kid with spiky black hair peering curiously at her. _He must be Sasuke._ Neru nodded to herself.

"Sasuke why don't you say hi to Neru-chan"

Mikoto gently pushed her son forward.

"Hi…" the blushing boy whispered nervously.

Neru wondered why she was anxious first of all before coming here. She would have not believed that he was the arrogant cold-blooded Sasuke Uchiha that will kill Orichimaru and invade Konoha until she saw the ridiculous signature duck butt hair.

"Happy Birthday Uchiha-san"

" Than' you"

Another good news, Sasuke was an adorable three year old kid. And all cute innocent babies were especially easy to manipulate.

"Where is your oldest son Mikoto-san? I have never met him" Akane declared.

"Unfortunately, Itachi is on a mission as well as my husband."

For the third good news, it seemed that the devil was not home today.

"Congratulation I heard that he is now a chunin. And at eight. That's absolutely impressive!"

"Oh thank you!" Mikoto exclaimed with a proud smile.

"You are welcome"

"Well Sasuke, Neru-chan let's go to the living room!"

The first bad news was that there were a lot of children in the living room. Indeed, four kids were a lot. And Neru really really really hated kids. Especially kids that looked already arrogant at five.

"Arrgg give me back Dr. Peardelphine Dodo Bean!"

"Not happening!"

"That's not fair!"

"Aww so are you gonna cry me a river?"

"Naha!"

"Oh ya!"

Neru now asked herself how she didn't hear the yelling when she had enter the house. She heard Akane murmured "so cute" before the latter gave her a beaming smile. She will never understand Akane's mentality. Maybe it was because her "mom" acted like a child herself and so she liked every single baby in spite of their flaw. Eek that was a possibility.

"Good luck Sweetheart! You can do it!" Akane said in a soft cheerful voice.

_Tch you don't say._

Without a doubt, Neru needed a lot of luck to get through this. With a exasperate face, she tried to plead her mother with her puppy onyx eyes to take her away from here. The effect went terribly wrong because Akane fled the scene faster than lightning.

"Fine you don't need to do this. Mommy won't prevent you from playing any longer. Chow chow have fun!"

Then the woman and Mikoto began to stride away to the dining room joining some other adults.

Neru mutely decided that she had to put more work in their silent communication. That didn't look promising at all.

_Oi she's going to leave me with some disgusting little brats to go gossip on useless shits with hypocrites! Ya way to go Akane!_ She sarcastically thought.

Sasuke seemed to also see the calamity zone and decided to follow silently behind his mother's back like a shadow. Tch, smart brat.

"Sasuke go play with the others"

Well too bad.

"But…"

"No but, you can a lest make a friend"

It appeared that they had the same problem with their parents.

"So you too ah" Neru assumed.

"What?" The boy looked at her surprised.

"Nothing"

Neru and Sasuke stayed far away from the others kids in silence. Neru may had promised her "mother" to make an effort to be with her peers but what you don't know won't hurt you.

She glanced at the silent Sasuke a meter away and at the kids that were still screaming at each other. The little brat with the ponytail was mocking the little girly boy who wanted his teddy bear back. The rest of the gang seemed to enjoy the quibble, giggling at the scene.

_Seriously this is terribly great._

So lying to her mom would be the bestest choice. Neru decided to simply say that she had tried so hard to integrate in their little shitty circle but they didn't like her.

She glanced again at the quiet boy next to her. She didn't see any benefit knowing Sasuke. It was a little bit before the massacre that he learned how to do the Great Fireball Technique and during the genocide, he was weak and vulnerable. Furthermore, being his friend would only attract the attention of Itachi.

Tch she had to charm her "dame-father" to teach her a thing or two.

"euh…Wan' to play ninja?"

She turned around to look at Sasuke who had a determined face. A three year old fighting with Neru will only result in a chick fight.

She gave him a short and a to-the-point answer. "No"

Sasuke let out a disappointed sigh.

"How ab'ou tag!"

Regrettably today she didn't have any patience.

"No. Why don't you go play with your others cousins hein?"

Neru pointed out at the small group at the center of the living room.

"They seem to have a lot of fun. Won't refuse you. After all, it is your birthday" Neru put a lot of emphasis in the words fun and birthday.

Sasuke swallowed hard. "Too mean! They! They say…and they throw my toys in the wall and they… they…"

"Don't wanna know" Neru cut his sentence discerning that it was a waste of time.

She walked away finding a quiet secluded place. She climbed up the comfortable couch and laid down, enjoying her stay. She was still tired from her long hours of night studies. If only she could afford to relax a bit.

"Oi stop poking me in the ribs!"

Neru looked down at the innocent face staring back at her.

"wha' do you wanna play?"

"Look kid, let play who gonna zip his mouth the longest!"

"Okay! Can do this! I'm the best!"

Sasuke was too concentrated at the nonexistent game that he didn't see Neru's grimace. The girl hoped that he would get bored soon and let her alone.

But, damn.

_I am asking for too much?_

"It too boring!"

"…"

"It too long!"

"5 minutes…Only 5!"

"Boring!"

"…" Neru frowned at Sasuke who was now trying to climb up the couch and fell miserably down on his butt.

"wha' do you wanna play?" Now, her frown began to twitch.

"How 'bout hide an' seek? I hide and you search for me"

"Fine!"

Neru walked slowly out the living room listening to the voice of the happy boy counting numbers. She went to an easy place to find. Afterward she would hide in a harder place to deduce. And again the same stratagem but she also took the opportunity to explore the domicile.

"…16, 17, 18?...20! Ready or not, h're I come!" the voice of the naïve lad rang in her ear.

* * *

Skipping the unexpected adults in the long corridor, she went to another desert hallway far away from the grownup's presence.

She lightly pushed a huge door peering inside the room.

White walls. Small space. Small bed. No personal items. A little dusty. Empty.

Obviously the guest room

* * *

Organized. Big space. Enormous bed. Wedding's picture.

It's the master bedroom.

Before entering it, she throw small rocks at some part of the place. Nothing happened.

_They won't put any traps knowing that they had children today right? Right?_

Neru slowly put a step in the room. Then another. Absolutely nothing happened. Nop Nada.

_I look like an idiot. But it was worth it._

She ventured more in it looking at the documents on the table. She climbed up a chair and scanned quickly without touching them.

Blank papers. Old person needs. Repair's investment…

Once again, there was nothing important.

Except that there was a picture…

A picture of four people. The little lad's family. Sasuke was smiling with his mother unlike his father and older brother who adopted a stoic face. Neru looked over Itachi and glared.

_We are going to die by your bloody hands._

She knew that the massacre was an order by Danzo and by the council. But it was still not right to kill your family.

It was way too cruel to take away the right to life of innocent people.

Even if he would be the one who would suffer the most.

Even if he was just a kid.

It was unfair.

She was heartless herself.

When poverty had starved thousands of people. When World War II, the deadliest conflict in history, had created more than 60 million death and led to unimaginable atrocities, such as genocide and destructive use of the atomic bomb.

She was indifferent to their tragedy.

In fact, she felt a little bit bad.

But at the end they were just faceless people.

Just like the Uchiha clan.

Without further ado, she went out of the room after picking up all the rocks.

* * *

Organized shelf. Blank. White wall. Empty.

Another guest room.

Neru headed straight to the book's shelf.

Ninjutsu's techniques. Games mind. Genjutsu wonders. Man's search for meaning. Psychology influence. The human body. How to torture a prisoner. How to _kill. Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!_

_Ah shit._

She passed a finger on a nightstand and looked at her digit. There was a no dust.

It was no guest room. It was Itachi's room.

_I am getting out of here!_

Even though she had intended to read the books. She was too afraid to make a mistake.

If she made a wrong move by moving an inch of something. He would know.

Thump.

Neru froze. Her hands began to sweat a bit. She turned slowly around to see-

_A ball rolling on the floor… Wait a ball?_

She walked to another chamber filled with toys on the ground. There was a huge bump coated with a cover beside some stuffed animals.

_Ah geez… false alarm._

"Gotcha."

* * *

When it was her turn again to hunt, she simply stride out the house and went straight to the garden. When they played the game, she realized that somehow Sasuke never hid outside. She had tried to hide in the backward once but twenty seconds was not enough and so she was easily caught.

She saw nobody. It was perfect to sleep and enjoy the scenery under a cheery blossom.

_Ah finally…_

* * *

A poking finger on her cheek jostled Neru from her sleep.

" Oi! Quit it!"

"But, you didn't find me! You are asleep! "

"Patience is a virtue"

"For" the angry baby boy showed two fingers and shouted furiously "hours!"

"…"

"…"

"Been searching for you everywhere all day. You are so good. Can't find you."

"…"

"That's why…I am so so SO tired and I need to rest. See! I have dark circles under my eyes!" She lied nervously.

"…"

"If only I have your skills…Mmm…You are awesome. You are the best at hide and seek!" Neru quickly added wishing that her praises would somehow help the situation.

"…Th'anks" Sasuke blushed bright red with embarrassment and tried to hide it with his bangs hung above his eyes.

_That's was easy_ Neru idly thought.

"So where were you hiding?"

"In my closet" Sasuke said with a huge grin.

Now, Neru felt guilty. Just a tiny little bit bad for leaving a kid alone…in the closet for hours.

"Euh…good job?"

"Un." The kid agreed. "So what do you wanna play?"

"Here we go again" Neru murmured exasperated.

* * *

"Tag! you are it!" He ran behind a bush.

"…"

"Run after me!"

"…"

"What you are doing?" Sasuke peaked his head out, curiously watching the girl who simply sat on the grass snoring lightly.

He approached her with the intention to wake her up again. His hand was about to touch her shoulder and -

"Tag" She tapped his feet.

* * *

"Happy birthday Uchiha-san"

"Than'ks! Call me Sas'ske!"

"Happy birthday Sauce-san"

"Sas'-ke! Ahhh it's Sa-su-ke!"

"Where?"

"H're!"

* * *

"Look you dirtied your shirt with cake" Neru pointed out.

"Where?" Sasuke looked down.

"Here"

Then she flicked his nose.

"Ouchy!"

* * *

"Aniki alwa' poke h're" Sasuke touched his forehead.

"'kay"

"He so cool"

"kay"

"like very very very cool!" He spread his arms wide.

Neru stared at him with a bored look. "'kay"

"and he was alw'…"

"'kay"

"I'm not finish!"

* * *

Mikoto and Akane looked with soft eyes at their tired child sleeping peacefully in the living room. The two of them were laying on the floor. Naru's head was resting on the hedge of the couch sitting crossed-leg unlike Sasuke who had his arms and legs spread wide.

The mothers were too concentrated to see their child calmly sleeping. They didn't notice the far distance between the two of them.

They didn't notice the frowning bitter face of Neru.


	4. III

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**III**

"Welcome home dear!" Akane sung with joy when she saw her husband entered the front door. She skipped over him to kiss him on the cheek.

"Kanai, Neru." Anzen greeted.

"Hi…" Neru said and dipped her head down as she silently ate her breakfast on the table.

It was rare that her father was home. In fact, he was always doing missions for the village. Every time he came back, Akane would exploded with joy and openly show her genuine smiles. Her eyes would shine brighter and do the crescent moon-shaped form.

Exactly what she was doing in this moment.

"Otosan can you train me today?" Neru tensely said.

A member of Konoha Military Police was exactly the sort of imposing figure that one might expect. He was a smart and physically striking man who projected an aura of authority. He had long black hair that reached his shoulder-blade and bangs covering half of one of his eyes, extending to his chin. His pale angular face bone structure held a hard expression even in the presence of his own family.

But the most intimidating thing of all was the intensity of his gaze.

"…Please?" No matter what, she felt uneasy speaking with him. He was too hard to read.

"Un. Go prepare yourself. I need to speak to your mother alone."

"'kay." She answered and quickly obeyed as she dashed off in her room. She was delight to get what she wanted, but really, whenever she spent time with him was unnerving.

* * *

The black dagger pounced out of the unmoving target.

"Throw it when your arm is at a 90 degree angle."

"Use your body weight to make it goes straight and stronger to pierce it in the wood. Do it again." Anzen said in a powerful commanding voice.

"'kay." She hold the kunai in a strong grip and made a second try.

The result was still the same. She sighed.

He walked over her and pushed her back straighter, adjusting her entire form. Neru's body stiffed at the touch but she ignored it, deciding to focus on her task.

For almost half a day, Anzen helped Neru to improve. After many unsuccessful attempts, she could only hit the farthest red area of the practice wooden dummies.

* * *

"Euh… where we going?"

"We are obviously going to dine."

"'kay…" Neru frowned walking beside Anzen without making any physical contact. From the few times that she was with him, she learned that he was the type who enjoyed silence. He spoke only when it was necessary. So she did the same.

They entered a barbecue restaurant and ate slowly without speaking to each other. Neru tried her best to not immediately jump on the foods. She didn't want to be criticize by the strict man.

Neru stopped chewing her meat and glanced over him. He wore a long-sleeved black uniform with metal plating on the portion that reached the back of his hand. The flak grey jacket enveloped his warrior build and had the Uchiha clan crest at the back.

Between the two parents, it was clear that Akane was the one that she resembled the most. She had natural kissed-sun skin and wavy jet-black short-length hair, which extended to her chin. The only feature that she received from Anzen was his sharp onyx eyes. In fact, she didn't look much like a Uchiha. The only way to know that she was a part of the clan was the crest on the shoulder side of her khaki hoodie.

She looked average and she was proud of it.

In the ninja world, an average appearance was an advantage in the field. It was easier to hide and to do espionage missions when people overlooked her or completely forget her.

She picked up her chopsticks and diverted her attention toward the wonderful roasted food. The silence was awkward and uncomfortable when she could tell that someone was closely observing her too.

_I went to get out of here._

Neru signed.

"Thank you! See you again at Yakiniku!" The cashier said cheerfully.

"Un" Anzen answered politely. She sighed again looking outside. The day was almost over.

The couple walked past the trainings ground, the busy market and a number of houses on the other side of the Uchiha compound. In fact, they had already passed twice the same area. But Neru decided to not question his intentions or opposed him in any way.

At the moment they strolled silently near the Academy. Hands in her pocket, she marched irritably behind Anzen and kicked an innocent rock. She was tired from her training and they had to walk for hours to who knows where.

Then "he" have to appear in her field of vision.

In a corner of her eyes, she saw a bright blond spiky hair and whiskers marks on his face. His head was downcast hiding his expression. He was alone on the swing.

He was Uzumaki Naruto.

"Is there something wrong Neru?" Anzen said with a monotone voice.

"Eep, what?" Neru snapped out of her stupor. She realized that she had stopped following Anzen.

"Nothing!" Neru ran to rejoined him and glanced back. She remembered that in the show, Naruto lived in the orphanage before living alone. The third hokage gave him rent money and allowance to buy foods and clothes. He must not have enough cash she mused. That would explain why he always bough cheap ramen.

Once again, it was none of her business. She had more important things to worry.

They walked at the center of the village and stopped at the Hokage monument. Neru was impressed by the architecture and the enormous size of the faces carved in stone when she had first seen it. The first Hashirama Senju, the second Tobirama, the third Hiruzen Sarutobi and the last hokage Minato Namikaze were the figures of power, of strength and of a better future. Well that was what the villagers told her. However, Neru felt sick looking at those heads. In fact, she had never like Konoha despite the happy and warm atmosphere. She recognized the village as a corrupt society.

_The ninjas are such hypocrites._

They said that the children were the future of the village but they didn't give a damn about them. They sent kids to wars like child soldiers in Neru's world. The kids were forced to live emotional trauma and hideous physical pains. But this was for their own good the ninjas would said. After all, what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Fight for the honor, kill each other for the village and the winner will be reward to a better social position.

The head village realized that throwing the children too soon at the real world was a mistake. He saw too many sad traumatized and dead infants. So he decided to change the shinobi training system by making it slightly easier for the students. Neru repeated: it was now only slightly easier. So why didn't he made a bigger better difference?

Surprised, Neru tensed up felling a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes?" She said crossing her arms.

"You are distracted. I have being calling you a couple of times already. Un. It seems that I have to shape your sense of surrounding." Anzen replied with a frown, retracing his hand back, and looked at the distance.

"…" Neru's eyebrow lifted at his answer.

"We walked in the village for about two hours. Now tell me, where is the hokage's tower?"

"It's at the center of the village. There." Neru quietly responded pointing at the place.

"Where is the tea house?" Her eyebrows frowned.

"At the end of the twelve street of the red light district. It was on the right side of the bath house…"

"Describe me how the lady at Yakiniku was dressed?"

"…I don't remembered. But I know that she didn't wear her uniform."

"At the Hokage Mountain, can we see the Hiyato temple?" She looked in front of her searching for the place.

_Let see. On the mountain, we have a full view of the entire village. So we can obviously see it. But they have trees that surrounded it._

"No, we cannot _See_ it." She insisted on the word see.

"Today, we went to Aoki Caramel. Described to me how the old men in the corner of the shop was dressed."

"…I don't know" She looked at him perplexed.

"What was he holding?"

"…I...I don't…"

"Where does Haruka-san live?"

"In the Uchiha estate."

"You need to be more specific."

"I don't know…"

"What are the words written under the statue of a phoenix that was in the park?"

"I…I don't know! I don't remember every little things!"

"Your carelessness will cost you, your life one day."

"Those little things are essential to be aware off. For example, the way a person dressed will help you recognize an individual status especially in regard to social or professional standing. Sometimes said person can also be a spy. You have to look for misconception or a simple aberration."

"When I asked you if we could see the Hiyato temple at the Hokage Mountain, your answer was precise. Nonetheless, tell me why it is vital to know that information? "

"…The distance between the two locations are far apart…" Neru intensely mused.

"If we could actually see the Hiyato temple, we could spy on the enemy movement. If they have reached the temple or if an enemy attack had befallen on it…"

"So the Hokage Mountain is a perfect place to observe the temple without being attack from behind." Neru finished.

"Indeed that's correct. You shall not neglect those details in the near future. You will be more alerted. Is that clear? "

"Or you will never be able to survive in the real world at this rate." Anzen said with a monotone voice, his intense stern eyes pierced straight at her ashamed ones.

Neru flushed in embarrassment. She was not ready for this. _At all._

She lowered her head as she put her hands in her pocket, griping the fabric, clenching her teeth.

_He was testing me and I fail…_

As expected, the silence that reign in the air suffocated her.

"Neru, why do you want to become a ninja?"

Another question unbalance her once again.

"…" "I…"

"Look at me in the eyes." He told her. She took in a deep, calming breath and met his gaze, head on.

"I…I want to train until my body aches. I want to be able to travel and discovers new lands…" _I want to go far away from here._

"I have to survive." _I am too afraid to die._

"I need get stronger." _I am not safe here. I am not safe with you and Akane._

"I will become a ninja." _Because I yearn for freedom._

Her raucous voice was strong and raw in fierceness, echoing in the distance. She held firm in her conviction. The words came from a deep part of herself that came on its own. Anzen was quiet, starring at Neru in silence and she swallowed, realizing how much she meant it…

"I will become a ninja." She repeated.

"And you will be my pillar of strength."

"Train me." She finished gripping tighter her hands. A fierce fire lighted up in her onyx eyes.

"I am not delight to see that you have not reach an acceptable level of expertism. Your Taijutsu is mediocre as well as your survival instinct. Your fitness is not the best nor the worse and your speed is average. Likewise your sense of surrounding is nonexistent." Anzen stated quietly.

Neru clenched her teeth hard as her eyes slightly dulled.

"_But you have potential._" He continued.

"I will be teaching you more intensely from now on. You will improved because I do not tolerate failure."

"Train hard and make the clan proud of you."

_So he is one of them. For the clan he said._

"Hai Otosan. I will not disappointed you."

* * *

"Otosan where are you going?" She said stopping in her track when she realized that he was going in another direction.

"I am on duty. Go home Neru." He replied as he sunshined away.

Finally, she let go of her breath that she didn't even know that she held. Relief washed over her as she put her head on a wall, closing her eyes. The corners of her mouth turned up in a slight smile.

_One step at the time._

* * *

She lazily walked in the kitchen, searching for a bottle of water in the fridge. Her hands painfully reached out to open the capsule, putting the opening of the bottle immediately on her mouth.

_It felt so good._

She relaxed as she slowly strolled down the hallway. She glanced in the living room, seeing her mother slouched in her seat, holding her face in her hands. Neru froze, frowning.

"Mommy?"

No reply. She tensed up.

"Are you alright?" Again nothing. She approached the woman bit by bit until she arrived at an arm distance.

"Mom?"

"Go away." Her body stiffed shocked by the unfamiliar rough tone of Akane. Her mind was in a dilemma. Should she go or stay?

"What happen?" _Why are you…like this?_ She curiously asked, her voice was strangely gentle.

"Go… Neru. Go…to…your room." her mother's shoulders shook as her voice weakly wavered. A Dry racking sobs escaped her mouth. She looked up at Neru and screamed "Leave!" As a pair of tears raced down her cheeks.

Neru was once again froze, staring openly at the devastated woman with puffy red eyed, running nose and small crystal beads that trailed down her cheeks to the neck. It wasn't pretty.

Neru should have run way right at this second. She shouldn't put her arms around the "stranger", listening to the sobs that racked her body, feeling the warm frame on her own. She shouldn't sometimes hushed and nodded and said "uh huh" as Akane talked about her worries.

Really she shouldn't.

She shouldn't be attached to anyone.

"He…won't be with us…for another two months…I am sorry sweetie…He..."

"It fine"

"I miss him…"

"Yes. I know."

"At least I have you."

"…"Neru's body became rigid and then relaxed. She hugged Akane tighter as the calm sobs echoed through the empty house.

* * *

**"Kanai" means wife. **


	5. IV

**I don't own Naruto**

* * *

**IV**

Sitting cross-legged, Neru was meditating in her room searching for the chakra in her coils. She tried to relax and to be comfortable. So she breathed in and breathed out. Feeling a sharp but pleasant energy travelling the entire system of her body. Somehow, the feel of chakra was similar to icy water or cold air that flow freely through her veins. It was refreshing. It made her feel well-balanced, sensible, secure and stable. In other words, it's amazing.

Neru had read that there was two types of chakra: the physical energy retrieved from every cell of a person's body and the spiritual energy that came from the mind. They were undeniably vital. If one of them was blocked, it could lead to fatal illness. Chakra was after all the source of life. If you didn't have any, you were considered dead.

She sensed the presence of the Root chakra who was located at the very base of the spine in her tailbone area. Then she opened out the Crown Chakra, at the top of her head. She unlocked one by one letting the chakra circulated freely.

Neru let out a deep happy breath as she slowly opened her eyes watching the sunrise from her window. She rose up from her sitting position to lay down on her bed. Today she could afford to rest a bit more.

Today she was unrestrained. In fact she could walk alone in the village.

_Today I am going to the Academy._

* * *

She hated walking in the morning with a talkative Akane.

"Sweetheart did you have your lunch?"

"Don't forget your pencil-case!"

"Oh do you want me to buy a new bag pack?" Akane anxiously said.

"Oi! It's fine. I am simply going to school. And yes. You gave me a lunch box this morning." Neru frowned, hands in her pocket.

Her mom bent down to kissed her on her forehead.

"Be careful. Don't glare at your teacher. Don't ignore your classmates. Oh you…"

"Whatever. I can handle everything they throw at me."

* * *

In the classroom, Neru sat in the back, close to the windows.

There was nobody familiar in her class. In fact, she saw Neji Hyuga and Tenten together with another teacher. And for Rock Lee, she had no idea.

The hours in school passed very slowly. The teacher repeated what she had already learn with Anzen. Well it was more like she learn alone than with Anzen. Her father gave her some scrolls to study on her _own._ Sometimes he would come to torture her with his draconian training. She could actually count with her hands the number of times they saw each other.

Her new teacher with a bored face opened up the banned book of her existence.

"I almost forgot about this…Everybody open your book at page 5." He said with a tired voice.

"..Page 5…Students are not allowed to vandalize school property."

"We do not tolerated students who speak in disrespect or insult toward fellow teachers or students." He read out loud.

_"We do not tolerated students who speak in disrespect or insult toward fellow teachers or students."_ She whispered to herself at the same time.

* * *

_"You have two days to commit this book to memory. I will questioned you at my return."_

_Anzen gave her The Student life rules and regulations of Konoha Ninja Academy._

* * *

It was necessary to be a model student. In other words, the perfect Uchiha that you could be. But Neru believed that it was a waste of time. She looked at the clock on the wall.

Tick Tock. Tick Tock.

And waited.

_I hate first day of school._

* * *

At lunch break, she walked once again around the village. But this time, she paid more attention and she was equipped with a pencil and a sketchbook.

She observed her surrounding with a critical eye and drew out a map of Konoha. Where all the most important points were. The hospital. The Tower. The gates…

One day was not enough to finish her project. After all, Konoha was larger than what the anime had shown.

* * *

A few days later, nothing changed much.

The kids were still certainly annoying her.

The little girls had already began to fawn over someone, a doomed target.

Neji Hyuga. He had achieve a huge success, showing outstanding brain capacity and great potential in fighting. His reputation as a prodigy had already spread all over school, in all over the village.

Seriously.

The number of little girls in the bathroom to fix their hair and their makeup was bothersome.

_They are too young to be this creepy. It's like they are under a spell._

Neru shook her head and signed.

* * *

"What does the waiter at the section B in Yoka restaurant possessed in particular?"

"She has a butterfly tattoo above her left chest and a star on her right hand."

"What was the name of the man who sell ramen at Ramen Ichiraku?"

"Teuchi"

"And his daughter?"

"Ayame"

"Who was the man, eating next to us?"

"An academy teacher."

"What were the sighs that identified him as an academy teacher?"

"He wore a headband and a green vest. So he must be a chunin or a jounin. There's a possibility that he is a member of the Academy because we always see him after the end of school hours at the stand. Ninja are needed to be teaching new potential children to fight. So he is not the janitor nor the secretary of the school."

"…That's only leave him as a teacher."

_Well it's more because he is Iruka Umino._

_And he has a deep scar on his nose. For a civilian, it is too difficult to survive that type of attack. So even if he didn't have his headband or his green vest, there is a high chance that he is a ninja._

Anzen blankly stared at a tense Neru and nodded.

"It is enough for today."

"Oh come on! It was time to stop your interrogation and start eating already!" Akane said with a fond smile and patted her daughter on the shoulder.

Neru grinned in response and closely observed Akane. After her mother breakdown, she was acting like nothing happened. Every time, he came back home, she would be her cheerful self again. Her emotions were in a roller-coaster.

_It's not good for her health at all._

* * *

"Hand over your lunch box!" An older, bigger and stupider kid yelled in her face.

Neru stopped eating her piece of sushi and looked impatiently over the three rascals. At the overweight brat who yelled at her and at the two sidekicks standing nearby.

"Leave me alone."

"But you are always eating alone in a corner."

"We thought that it will be nice to join you."

"Share your foods."

She grimaced and simply responded "No."

"That's not nice at all" One of the boys said.

"You know. We have spare our time and energy to come here."

"You don't want any trouble, don't you?"

Indeed, she didn't want any trouble in the school grounds. A perfect model student never have any trouble with her peers. She looked around, searching for teachers who might be nearby. The three boys approached and surrounded her, blocking every way of escaping.

She yield. "Take it."

"You are a smart girl ah!" The fat idiot mocked.

"We know that we can count on you!"

She was _mature._ It was only a lunch box.

Really it was fine. She didn't want to face the wrath of Anzen.

* * *

"Rock lee and Uchiha Neru, please come to the front."

She stepped up as well as Lee. They looked at each other in the eyes and made the seal of confrontation.

_Oh geez…_

Neru had recognized him later in school. It seemed that they were in the same group but he arrived late for his enrollment in the Academy.

_That's not youthful!_ She would have told him. But well she doesn't want to look weird.

White Chinese shirt. Enormous eyebrow. Long braid black hair. Weird eyes.

"Do your best Neru-san! Let's get stronger together! " He gave her one of his beaming smile before adopting a stance, one leg forward while the other was behind.

That was definitely Rock Lee.

"Whatever." She responded getting in fighting position with a smirk. She spread slightly her legs and bent her knees.

"Let the match begin!" The bored teacher said.

Lee didn't waste any second and ran straight at her, initiating a punch on the face. She bounced slightly back, adjusting her position by taking small steps, keeping one arm up to shield her face.

He thrown her a second punch on her stomach as she took his first in her hands and launched a small blow on his chin that made him stumbled back a little.

Ah duck. Hit. Slow down. Kick. Step aside. Punch. Punch.

If she wanted to have a good practice, she had to slow down and predicted his moves.

Slow. He was surprisingly slow. His punches and kicks were used at random.

By the way he fought, she could see how lively and honest his personality was. His attacks were too easy to see through. When he lifted his arm, he will obviously strike. Contrary to what she will do.

Neru moved her fist straight at his head as he responded with a counterattack by putting his arms in front of him, making him vulnerable. Stopping her attack at midair, she twisted her heel and knocked the air out of his stomach with her leg. He felt down the ground coughing, holding his abdominal.

_Ah I love fake attacks._

She would have let him win like others…

But he was really weak. His taijutsu was worse than average…

"I am not finished! I can still fight!" He screamed standing up with difficulty. Neru could see his eyes burning bright as he took a fighting pose.

"He's so lame."

"He lost every matches. Why did he even try?"

"That's Dock Lee to you!"

"Go Neru-san! Beat the crap out of him!" Some students standing around screeched.

Irritated, Neru intensely glared at her classmates who were backing her victory. Her glare faltered their resolve to support her. "Tch."

Somehow, Lee didn't appear affected much by their insults. He rather looked more confident and more hyper up. "No matter what you guys say, I will never give up! That's my ninja way!"

Lee ran once again in front at her as he bend down and slung his leg on her angle.

She lost her balance, rolled her body on her left and rapidly stand up.

"Not bad." She said smirking.

"You too!" He responded retreating a little back and sprinted fast at her, putting all his weight in his front feet. Putting power in his speed.

When he was near her, in a touching distance, she stepped aside.

Yes. She simply stepped aside.

Letting him flew straight passed her to tumble on the dirt. Actually he clumsily tripped on a small rock and comically felt down straight on his face.

"Ouch… That's must hurt." she whispered wincing at the scene.

Laughers were heard around the field. Some students pointed at Lee and openly mocked him.

"Uchiha Neru wins. Please make the Seal of Reconciliation." The teacher spook up as the students continued to giggle with no shame.

"Be quiet!" He finally intervened, stunning the kids to silence.

Neru walked to the silent depressed Lee with his head downcast and linked their hand in the seal of reconciliation.

"You know…" At the sound of her voice, his face peaked up.

"I believe that you could do better than today." She said in a low voice that only Lee could heard and gripped strongly his two fingers.

"Work hard."

Then she put her hands in her pocket walking away.

"Hey!" She stopped in her track.

"Don't underestimate me! You'll see! I will prove myself to the whole world!" He shouted with a determinate resolve.

Neru really hated kids.

But Lee was….Well Lee.

How could she hate the little guy?

* * *

"Where is otosan?"

"He won't be with us for another two months."

"Oh again?" She said with no surprise.

Neru prepared herself more food and put it in her back pack.

"He is on duty Sweetheart." Akane explained, a slow sad smile spread across her face as she drank her hot chocolate drink.

* * *

Neru had never plan to match or to be better than Itachi. She knew that it was _humanly_ impossible to be stronger than the genius. At least she couldn't do it and she will never be able to.

He witnessed the Third Shinobi Wold War at four-year old and freaking survived! A little tiny baby walking among the dead, killing people twice and decuple his age. That was insane!

So the only plan that she could think of was…Well to run away.

Indeed, the easiest thing to do was to run far away from this crazy village and lived happy ever after in a lost corner of the world.

Easier said than done.

There was still hope. Neru believed that if she could convince her "parents" to get out she would be a step closer to her goal.

That was why she tried to learn everything she could to survive outside Konoha's walls. That was why she clenched her teeth so hard that it hurt when she ran every single day. Faster! Quicker! Moved now!

If she was fast enough, no one will be able to catch her. Not a single soul. Not even death.

That was also why she was now really interest in Akane's family history.

"…She was a priestess at that time. When I was young, I accompanied her sometimes to see her perform sacred rituals."

"Was it pretty?"

"Yes, they were. Your grand-mother have to dance from time to time. She done it exquisitely with grace and power in her movements."

"Wow!" Neru adopted dreamy eyes.

"She believed humans and deities are able to communicate with each other and lived in harmony. She was incredible…" Akane uttered with a small smile.

"Where is she now?" Neru asked curiously.

"I used to live in the lands of birds. As a matter of fact, your grand-mother still lived there."

"Why the country was named the land of birds?"

"It's because the land was named after the many birds that migrate to it every year."

"I love birds!"

"Yes and mommy love birds too!" Akane laughed off.

"I really wanna visit that country!" Neru shouted.

"You can."

"When?"

"When you are grow up."

"But it is too long and I want to see grand-mother too!" Neru insisted tentatively.

"You can see her when you grow up sweetheart." Akane calmly explained.

"But if she is no longer there? What if she travel somewhere else? " Neru chose her words wisely.

Neru wondered if the look on Akane was a trick of light because her mother seemed grow-up and had a stern and hard expression.

"We will see." She simply said.

_It's not a good enough answer to me._

* * *

**Neru means sleep.**

**Akane=deep red.**


	6. V

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

**V**

There was only silence in the dark cold forest. She gripped forcefully her kunai as she tried to steady her irregular heavy breaths, afraid to be overheard. She crouched down as she attached her hands on the dirt, positioning herself like a runner preparing to sprint.

Then she felt drops of water falling down on her cheeks, then her back and hands. Washing away all her footprint and smell. The silence was unnatural like the calm before the storm.

"Found you." A bass firm voice droned in her ear, making her jerked immediately back by instinct. She invaded a kick on her head simply by retreating and threw her kunai at the opponent who easily invaded it.

Suddenly, the enemy's knife was near her face. She blocked it with another one of her dagger, creating little sparks and an unpleasant sound like a cat clawing on a board. But her grip was weaker than her foe. Her kunai flew out of her hand as her heat jumped up and down in agitation.

She bended down and whispered

"Fire release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A small size fire-ball went out of her mouth to the ninja. Without looking back, she fled immediately in the darkness.

_Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling._

He was gradually approaching her.

_Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling. Cling._

The bells clattered in the wind.

_Cling. Cling. Cling…_

The sound stopped.

_Oh the horror of those bells. The situation was too similar to a predator playing with his prey. I so am doomed._ Neru anxiously though.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw a hand reaching her arm. She invaded it by jumping in another tree. Her reaction was too slow. The enemy managed to kick her in the gut. She flew away by the impact of the strike, clutching her stomach as she took out a dagger in her shinobi's pouches. A kunai flew next to her feet making her jumped again on another tree's branch. The surprise attack startled her and made her tripped on the wet surface.

She fell off the tree but immediately took her kunai out to drill on the nearest trunk, stopping her descent.

Regrettably, her trembling soaked hands slipped off her small blade. She closed her eyes waiting for her body to crack in the pressure of gravity.

_It's gonna hurt! It's gonna hurt!_

However, before her body became disfigure and mangle, there were an arm behind her back and under her knee.

_ .__Cling. Cling. Cling._

"Why didn't you catch me sooner?!" She screamed.

"I was freaking scared! What's wrong with you?!" The words slipped out of her mouth without her consent. Her face paled realizing what she had just said a couple of second ago and to _who_ she had yelled those at.

"Language." Anzen scolded hitting her behind the head with a light slap.

To train her stamina and her time of reaction, Anzen decided to place her in a real life situation. He would attacked and terrified the shit out of her without mercy. She was in a disadvantage position with a powerful opponent. The only benefit that she had, was the bells on Anzen.

Except that she considered those more of an inconvenience than anything else. It increased her level of anxiety and she became more restless. She even got goose bumps on her skin when she heard the sound of it.

"So…are you going to eat with mom and me?"

"No I have a mission." As expected.

"But mom want to spend more time in family."

"…"

"You could…" Anzen cut her sentence with a hand before her face.

"…"She frowned wanting for his reply.

"I have to go." He sunshined away. The wind whipped her hair and face as she covered her head with both arms.

She coughed and rubbed her eyes, trying to get the dust out.

* * *

"Now what are you waiting for? You don't need to follow us? Shoo!" The grey shirt bully motioned with his hand in a "go away" gesture.

Unfortunately, it was in the wrong place at the wrong time…For them.

"You are like six years old and you are already bullying someone."

"Seriously. Get a life." Neru deadpanned with a death glare, crossing her arms, looking smug.

Actually today, they were not at school nor near her house. Anzen was not even home…again. Today, she coincidentally met the idiot trio who had taken her lunch for many days.

"All the ones who are from noble families are so stuck up!" The second kid with a brown shirt stated with a grin.

"Ya who do you think you are, Uchiha? Go buy me something to eat!" The fatty with a bandana ordered.

"Why don't you go buy something at the store yourself? They have cakes and candies. Exactly what you need to get fatter." Neru said with a mocking smirk.

"What did you say?!" The fat brat yelled visibly losing his cool.

"Are you deaf? Cause you need help. Go to the hospital to get treat and don't forget to ask for advice to lose some weight."

She shouldn't be this mean to children. Seriously.

But did she even mentioned that she hated kids?

If not, well.

"That's would help you to stop being a bully and get a life."

"You don't need to thanks me." She continued, crossing her arms, adopting a contemplative air.

"Shut up!" The bandana brat yelled furiously. He gripped her collar and lifted her in the air.

"Ah no! Little doofus, you made him mad. That's not good at all." The brown shirt brat exclaimed. His mouth twisted into a wry grin.

"What a shame! You just has to do what we said. But no! You decide to act like a prissy dork brain! " The third bully said shaking his head.

"What happen to the smart little girl? Where did you get your courage from?"

"Beg for forgiveness or I will punch you in your ugly face!" the provoker threatened.

"Boohoo. I am so scared!" She put hands to her mouth in fake surprise completely hiding her twitching mouth.

"Do you really think that you could beat me?"

But her fun was gone when the bullies began to laugh. Hard. She wiped that silly grin off her face and glared.

"What! Now little retard trying to act big and strong!"

"She don't look like a Uchiha. Do you think that she is a bastard child?"

"Her mom might be a prostitute?" _That's it. _

"Punks." She angrily approached her face near his and whispered in his ear:

"You leave me no other choice."

She lifted her fist and sling it to -

"Stop right there! What are you kids doing?" A low-pitched voice echoed with a hit of exasperation and of annoyance.

The four stunned children looked at an old man running on the way to them. The fat lad's grip loosed up and Neru fell down on the ground. "Oi!"

"You wait and see. This is not over yet!" The leader yelled before running away with his subordinates.

"Tch little trashes. You are the ones who have to watch your backs!" She rose up and ran as fast as she could.

* * *

"Now who can tell me, who are the founders of Konohagakure?"

It seemed that in every class and in every life, there was always a single kid who like to talk too much.

"Me! Pick me!" The pink haired guy in front of the teacher whispered-not-really.

"Someone else?" The teacher grimaced searching for a person with his hand up. But the majority of the students looked more bored to death, slumping on their desk like zombies. He signed.

"Yes Kenji."

"Konoha was founded by Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha. It became one of the Five Great Shinobi Countries and Hashirama-sama is the first Hokage of the village. But he was real…"

Under the table, Neru's hand moved fast and smoothly as she formed hand seals.

She stared lazily at the teacher who signed for the tenth time, waiting for the kid to finish his speech. In fact, Kenji would have been a better professor than the actual one. He knew Konoha history like the back of his hands and he gave more detail.

The teacher looked at the clock and signed again.

* * *

During the lunch pause, she stayed close the teacher lodge, eating her lunch without being disturbed by the idiot's trio.

_Wait for me, when I get my hands on you kids…_

* * *

"Come on apologize!"

"Do it properly!"

"Apologize!"

"I am sorry. I am…"

"Oh what do we have here? It's the brainless trio." Neru mocked, appearing behind the shadows of the trees, taking slow steps toward the group. The little girl who was their earlier victim halted, staying in her kneeling position on the ground, behind the three idiots.

"What do you want Uchiha?! Last time wasn't enough for you? Do you want us to mess with you too?" The grey shirt kid said.

"It is good that she came no? We can finish what we started yesterday!" The fatty responded with a huge grin.

"What an idiot!" They laughed.

"Oi! Little rascals! Talking too much is a major-no-no." Her index finger was shaking in their direction.

"Chop chop." She clapped her hands, stopping their further laughter.

"Let me teach you brats a lesson." She ended as a wide devious grin spread across her face.

_It's payback time!_

She ran to the fat kid and give him a classic punch, making him stumble on the ground.

_Now let the fight begin!_

She retreated back positioning her body in a stance. The two other launched straight at her as she bend completely down to avoid their punch. With the tip of her feet, she rotated her entire body with her hands touching the ground to collide with the two pair of legs.

The sidekicks lost their balance but reacted quickly by stand up. They hit her legs as she felt down, drench in a bit of mud. She rolled to invade another kick. When they tossed a punch on each side of her, she backed away as she took their head in her hands and make it smash together.

"We will show you that you are weaker! You took us by surprise Uchiha!" The fatty screamed, running to her. When he tried to kick her, she hit the part behind his knee with her feet, making him knee.

"I like it more when you shut up."

His face held surprise, shook and anger. She immediately knock him again with her knee in his stomach. He felt on the dirt, his hands on where it hurt.

She put her feet on his back rolling his overweight body with pleasure as she looked at the rest of the bullies, looking alarmed and nervous at her.

"What are you waiting for?"

"Come." She held her hand in their direction, folding her fingers.

The brown shirt kid went first to her. When he was about to do an uppercut, she took his arm and use her elbow, rotating it to the right and then to the left, hitting his face twice.

"This is for my food that went in your belly."

She rotated her body in the air and jolted him on the face with a tornado kick.

She stared at the last one. "What will you do now that you are alone?"

"I...I…I" He panicked as he stood paralyzed.

"Tch! Listen and listen well! Don't you guys ever mess with me again! If you tell a world about what happen here to someone. I will come and will beat the crap out of you! Do you brainless trashes understand what is coming out of my mouth?" She deliberately slowly said, enjoying their freaked out expressions.

"Now leave!" She shouted as she watched them flee.

"Hell ya!" She pumped her fist in the air and she chucked, enjoying too much her victory.

But all good things had an end.

"…Thank…Thank you…" A small timid squeaky voice rang in her ear.

"Huh?" She turned around to face a little dark blue hair girl with fair skin and a short levelled hime-cut style. The most striking thing was her eyes. Her glassy white eyes.

_She is still here…?!_

"Thank you!" She repeated with a stronger voice as a small smile graced on her face.

Neru stared at her and frowned. She was too preoccupied with the trio that she utterly forgot about her.

"Why are thanking me?"

The blue haired girl blinked and blushed, putting her head down.

"Euh…You save me." She said.

Neru stared and stared and stared.

"…Okay…"

"You made those guys stop bullying me." The girl added.

Neru really wanted to shout, i_t was a misunderstanding!_ But…She went with the flow.

"Mmm..."

"Hinata-sama!" Someone screamed.

Neru took the opportunity to run out of the scene, leaving the defenseless girl and her servant. Feeling a little frustrated. She was supposed the handle the situation without the notice of adults. If someone report it to her parent, especially Anzen, he would be annoyed and give her a speech about her bad behavior.

"According to school policies, rule 30: Students are not allowed to do any behavior, verbal or physical, which could create in hostile atmosphere."

"They cannot fight without the permission of a teacher (only in a spar)."

Even though it is not during school hours…Anzen forced her to respect the rules. _As expected of a member of the police force who enforced the law._

Her second mistake was that the fight was just next to the Academy. She was not very good to control her emotions. But now that she has all the afternoon to think and to calm down, she shouldn't act so hotheaded.

Maybe it was not even for the food.

* * *

"Kid, stop following me."

"Euh…You knew?" He said scratching his cheek in embarrassment, peeking his head out of a garbage can and skipped next to her.

"What do you want?"

"Oh! Ya" He laughed cheerfully. "You are so cool! You kick and Hiya! Like this and the three bad guys were so scared of you! " He imitated her with exaggerated moves and expressions.

Neru stared at him and repeated. "Do you need something?"

"No…I just want to talk to you..."

"By the way, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, the future Hokage! Believe it!"

_I know…_

She signed. "'kay."

"So you are the one who cause so much trouble in the village."

"Yes that's me! My pranks are the best! " He shouted proudly with a huge grin.

"Now that we have talk to each other, go home kid."

"Can you show your moves again?" He asked hopefully, changing the subject.

"I don't associate myself with troublemaker."

_I don't know how my parents will react with you in the picture. The Nine tail host. And I cannot tolerate the scrutiny of the Hokage._

"Get lost." She added and ran without looking back.

* * *

"Neru are you alright?"

"Are you hurt somewhere?"

"Why are you dirty, head to toe?" Worried Akane fussed all over her.

Neru came home with filthy clothes and messy hair. Her pants were covered in mud.

"Training." She lied.

Now she had to calm down the frustrating mother hen.

* * *

"Your parent will come in any minute now." Her professor told her with a bored look.

Neru glared hard at the three boys with their parents in front the teacher's desk.

"Indeed I need to see the ones who raise this impolite girl!" A woman with a fancy dress said.

"Oi old lady! Your boy and his friends were the ones who bully me and the other Hyuga kid!" She turned her head to the teachers."You can go ask the Hyuga's heiress if my story is true!"

"But you didn't have to hit my boy, brat!" The irritating big fat woman answered.

"It was self-defense!" She defended herself, glaring at the other family, her eyebrows twitching.

"Liar!" The fatty screamed. "You hit me first!"

_That was true but…_

"You was intimidating the Hyuga girl!" She retorted back.

"She wasted my ice cream so we asked an apology!"

"SHUT UP!" The teacher of the trio screamed, while her own looked at them uninterested like always.

"The four of you are at fault! Neru-san shouldn't hit others and the three of you shouldn't take her lunch!"

The children looked annoyed at him, while Neru glared.

"Calm down everyone. We will wait for the rest to come."

* * *

"So…you say that...those kids bully my daughter…"

"Yes"

"And she was in a fight with them…"

"Yes"

"And that's why she have to go to detention…" Akane summarized, looking a bit confuse.

"Yes, but the three kids will also be in detention for their mistake." The rational sensei of the trio said.

There was an uncomfortable pause in the room where Neru didn't stop her glare at the idiot's trio who looked to smug for their own good while their parents were judging her and her mom. And her sensei was eating curry and rice while watching the drama that took placed.

Akane stared at the kids with bandage and black spots on their body, then at her daughter who was physically unaffected.

"That's my girl!" She screamed happily bouncing to Neru to give her a high-five. Neru looked dumbfounded at her mom but complied by putting her hand in the air.

"So you beat them up really good?"

"Obviously." Neru recovered fast and answered with a smirk.

The spectators looked as surprised as Neru once was and looked at them weirdly. The trio sensei coughed trying to gain the attention of the people in the room.

"Well Uchiha-san, your daughter refuse to make amends to my students."

"Did they apologize to my daughter?"

"Yes! In fact my son and his friends know when they are wrong unlike a certain brat." The rich woman said with a mocking voice.

"It that so."

"Neru what are you waiting for?" Akane asked.

"What?!" "No I am not going to apologize to them!"

"What do you mean? Let's go."

"HUH?" "What..!"

Akane gently took Neru's hand as she walked to the front door. She turned around and said. "I have been wondering why she took more foods to school lately. Learning that she has been intimidated by three older children is not a pleasant feeling. I would have been be a fool if I let my daughter apologize when she finally stood up to them. Furthermore, to be force to punishment is laughable."

"Don't ever dare touch my child again!" She treated, looking murderous at the bewildered kids and their parents.

"That's all I have to say." She opened the door, slamming it, her head high and her back straight.

* * *

Akane stayed silent until they reached their house. As she closed the door, she took a deep breath and put her hands on her red face.

"How was I?" she said in her normal frail voice.

"…" Neru stared at her.

"I kind of loss my temper…"

Neru looked stunned. Her lips were parted but the corner of her mouth couldn't cease to curve up. "What are you talking about? You have been AMAZING! Did you see their faces?"

"They were so so shocked that they couldn't even speak back! You are incredible! " She said grinning ear to ear.

"Right" Akane replied, smiling brightly and laughed.

* * *

"Will you report to otosan about this?"

"No. He don't need to know."

"It a secret then."

"yes Sweetie. But next time, don't get caught."

"I'll tried but I didn't really got caught. The idiots told their parents."

"Well next time, make sure that you won't get in trouble?"

"Deal."

* * *

Neru was standing at the fore of the Post Office. She looked at her letter in her hands and confidently stepped in the building.


End file.
